ROYAL OAK – A gunman suspected in at least eight bank robberies –half of them in Royal Oak – was arrested Wednesday after police say he robbed a bank on Crooks and crashed into a police car during a chase.

Royal Oak police said they chased the unidentified man after he robbed the TCF Bank at 1811 Crooks about 12:41 p.m.

“A bank employee reported a suspect walked into the bank armed with a handgun and demand money from the teller,” Royal Oak Police Lt. Dave Clemens said. “The suspect received an undisclosed amount of currency and fled on foot. The suspect matched the description of the … suspect from several other bank robberies.”

The suspect could be arraigned as early as Friday, Clemens said. But it was unclear whether he will be charged in Royal Oak District Court or federal court because the FBI has joined the investigation.

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“It is possible the suspect could be linked to other bank robberies besides the eight that we know of,” Clemens said.

Royal Oak police said they saw the suspect running from the TCF bank before he got into a car parked at a nearby business.

As the suspect drove off, police chased him through several other south Oakland communities. Police from Beverly Hills, Berkley and Southfield assisted Royal Oak in the chase, Clemens said.

“The pursuit ended on 11 Mile west of Greenfield when the suspect vehicle struck a Southfield patrol car,” he said.

The gunman in Wednesday’s robbery is suspected of robbing seven other banks, police said.

The other bank robberies happened at:

-PNC Bank, 12 Mile and John R, in Madison Heights on Dec. 20

-PNC Bank, Third and Main, in Royal Oak on Dec. 26

-Charter One Bank, Second and Main, in Royal Oak on Jan. 15

- Charter One Bank, Woodward and Catalpa, in Berkley on Jan. 28.

-Comerica Bank, 15 Mile and Southfield, in Birmingham on Feb. 8

-Citizens Bank, Lincoln and Main, in Royal Oak on Feb. 22

-Independence Bank, Southfield and 14 Mile, in Beverly Hills on March 13.

Clemens said the suspect matches the description of the man in all of the bank robberies listed, carrying a handgun in all the holdups and demanding money in the same way.